King City residents not surprised by police scandal

King City residents were grappling Wednesday with a profound violation of trust after learning the acting police chief, their former police chief, and four other officers were accused of targeting poor Hispanic residents in a vehicle impounding scheme.

King City residents are grappling with a profound violation of trust after learning the acting police chief, their former police chief, and four other officers were accused of targeting poor Hispanic residents.

One civilian was also arrested: Brian Miller. Brian Miller is the brother of Chief Bruce Miller, and the owner of Miller's Towing company.

The misgivings King City residents felt towards police had been building for some time.

"I'm not at all surprised by the arrests, I'm just surprised there weren't more charges," King City resident Vivian Villa said Wednesday in Spanish. "Now maybe some of them are going to feel what we feel when they target us."

Latinos account for nearly 90 percent of the community of 13,000 people tucked among fields of tomatoes, strawberries and lettuce along the Salinas River and Highway 101.

Investigators heard people -- many unable to speak English -- complain that police were taking their cars and money, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Farm mechanics Francisco Mendez and Alfonso Perez described being stopped frequently by police for having tinted windows or broken tail lights.

"It seems like they just want a reason to pull you over," Mendez said.

Tuesday's bust came after a six-month probe by the Monterey County District Attorney. By this week, authorities said they had enough evidence to arrest a total of six people linked to the department for a variety of crimes ranging from bribery to making criminal threats. They were all quickly released on bail.

Tow shop owner Brian Miller, his brother acting police chief Bruce Miller and Sgt. Bobby Carillo were scheduled to be arraigned Monday on bribery charges after authorities said vehicles impounded from Hispanic immigrants were funneled to the tow yard then sold or given away.

Prosecutors said an undetermined number of vehicles were sold or given away for free when the owners couldn't pay fees to reclaim them. Two people at Miller's Towing in King City refused comment.

Former Chief Dominic David Baldiviez and Mario Alonso Mottu Sr. were set to be arraigned March 6 for embezzlement. Officer Jaime Andrade, accused of possession of an assault weapon and illegal storage of a firearm, and officer Mark Allen Baker, accused of making criminal threats against a King City resident, are also slated for a March 6 arraignment.

Andrade said hopefully, the truth would come out soon and "things will be cleared up."

Messages for Baldiviez and Brian Miller were not immediately returned. A man who answered the phone at a listing for Baker hung up when asked about the case.

"Obviously no one should be targeted because of race, but recent immigrants are at something of a disadvantage," Powers said. "They already fear the police. It makes them easy prey."

Powers said a community meeting would be held in two weeks to try to resolve concerns of angry citizens and those worried about the depleted police force, where 10 of the 17 sworn positions were held by Latinos.

State Sen. Bill Monning, whose district includes King City, said he was "incensed and outraged," and thanked the FBI and local authorities for their ongoing pressure.

"While I hope this is an isolated incident, I fear it is not," he said. "There continues to be situations throughout the state where the immigrant workforce is subjugated to tyranny of those abusing their authority."

County Supervisor Simon Salinas said it's going to take community oriented policing to get the town to trust authorities again.

"It's certainly going to be a black eye for King City," Salinas said.

Complaints of misconduct have been raised during the past few years in this historic, agricultural city where John Steinbeck's father settled in 1890s and met his wife. With wide streets, historic buildings and old oaks, parts of the city haven't changed much since Steinbeck wrote of King City in parts of Mice and Men and To a God Unknown.

On Tuesday, Monterey County Sheriff Scott Miller said residents have no reason to fear that law will not be enforced in their city. The sheriff said he has a substation in King City and his deputies have stepped in to patrol the streets. The sheriff said he will provide law enforcement while the City Council and City Manager decide on a long-term plan.

"We are available from this point on to provide whatever level of law enforcement services the city of King City needs," Sheriff Miller said.

But some said they are now afraid in the city.

"I'm not sure who is taking care of the town," said San Lorenzo Liquors store owner Myukng Hong who reopened Wednesday after closing early the night before after learning of the arrests.

At Leyva's Tow Yard, which police often bypassed with impounded cars for Miller's Towing, George Oliveros said many people in the community were aware of the investigation for months.

"In King City, a lot of people really try to stay away from the police," he said.

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